1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to exercise equipment and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for configuring, driving and adjusting treadmills.
2. The Background
In an effort to generally improve one""s health, many people regularly exercise. Some may be motivated by a desire to lose excess weight, while others may be motivated to exercise so that they feel invigorated and have the energy they need to better perform daily activities. Still, others may exercise to combat the effects of a physical ailments such as heart disease or diabetes.
Many methods of exercising exist. Fitness centers have been developed to provide a location where paying members may use a variety of exercise equipment and participate in aerobic classes. These fitness centers, however, are typically expensive and involve travel time. As appreciated by those who exercise, it is possible to walk, run, cycle, or the like outdoors. However, outdoor activities are often limited by the weather. In many locations, winter conditions make outdoor exercise unpleasant. Furthermore, outdoor exercise can prove to be a safety hazard for persons exercising alone.
Indoor treadmills have proven to be an effective and popular choice of exercise equipment. An indoor treadmill allows a user to exercise in the privacy of his/her home or apartment. Therefore, a user is no longer limited by the weather or the time of day. The treadmill can provide exercise across a variable range of difficulty. A user may adjust the incline of the treadmill to simply walk on a horizontal plane or run at a demanding pace on an incline. These advantages have made treadmills very popular.
Treadmills are not, however, without their limitations. Treadmills typically occupy a relatively large amount of space, when compared to other pieces of personal exercise equipment. It is not typically desirable, aesthetically or volumetrically, to leave a treadmill in the public areas of a house or apartment. Due to space limitations, the open public areas of a house or apartment are typically the only spaces large enough to accommodate typical treadmills.
Treadmills currently available are heavy, bulky, hard to store, difficult to hide, difficult to transport, and must be professionally delivered adding significant cost and greatly restricting usage. The need exists for a compact, lightweight, stable, easily shipped, easily deployable, easily storable, high quality, home treadmill. Such a treadmill would provide all the benefits of traditional treadmills, while eliminating many of the disadvantages and drawbacks of traditional treadmills.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a treadmill that has a small footprint, is readily deployable, is readily and easily storable, and operates smoothly.
It is an object of the invention to provide a treadmill designed specifically to allow the efficient use of the power source.
It is an object of the invention to provide a home exercise treadmill that uses up to date composite materials to eliminate labor, weight, and cost.
Consistent with the foregoing objects, and in accordance with the invention as embodied and broadly described herein, an apparatus and method are disclosed, in suitable detail to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention.
In certain embodiments an apparatus and method in accordance with the present invention may include a treadmill constructed of composite materials. Constructing the treadmill of composite materials may eliminate over 80% of the metal and weldments of the traditional treadmill. A composite deck may be pivotably connected to a frame. The rigidity of the deck may be designed to meet the treadmill""s strength requirements. Additionally, all nuts may be cast into the composite deck, making the frame, rollers, and motor easily attachable to these mounting points.
The deck may be configured to have a smooth, flat tread surface with rollers attached to the front and rear extremes. Moreover, the deck may be further configured with aesthetic skirting to hide the under workings of the treadmill. The deck may be formed in a contiguously molded unit by reaction injection molding (RIM) or rotational molding (Rotomold) processes. The use of composite materials may result in a dramatic reduction in labor, manufacturing machinery, product weight, and production and shipping costs.
In certain embodiments, a third roller may be incorporated on the bottom of the deck. A belt may be configured to encircle the deck from front to back, encompassing the front roller, the rear roller, and the third roller. The third roller may be configured to provide sufficient space inside the area encircled by the belt for a motor to fit. By configuring the motor to fit inside the area encircled by the belt, the treadmill may be produced with a compact design as well as allow for the belt to be driven by the rear roller. In another embodiment, the motor is configured to secure to the deck at a location outside the area encircled by the belt while still allowing for a rear drive.
The rear drive requires approximately one third less horsepower and torque than a comparable front drive unit. The reduction is caused by the motor pulling the belt from a location much closer to the point at which the load is applied. With the motor secured to the treadmill at a location substantially below the deck, the treadmill may be configured to be hood-less, exposing the entire top belt surface. Current treadmills often use hoods to cover the motor and other drive mechanisms that extend beyond the deck surface. The hood-less design provides for an overall treadmill length approximately eight inches shorter than current treadmills, while providing the same amount of exposed usable belt.
Proximate the third bottom roller may be a fulcrum. From the fulcrum forward, the front of the deck may be raised, thus, tilting the tread surface to an incline. The fulcrum may be further configured to allow the front of the deck to be positioned lower than the rear of the deck, thus tilting the tread surface to a decline. The center pivot incline system requires approximately one third less travel to produce the same incline found on typical designs that pivot from the rear. The positioning of this lower pivot creates a balanced or equilibrated deck. A lift mechanism may be mounted between the frame and the front end of the deck. The lift mechanism regulates the incline and firmness of the deck. In certain embodiments, the lift mechanism may be a pair of hydraulic cylinders fed by a small hydraulic pump. The center pivot and resulting balanced deck greatly reduce the load that must be resolved by the lift mechanism, thus, simplifying the necessary mechanical design and associated costs.
In certain embodiments, an air bearing may float the belt over the tread surface by forcing air through numerous ports that run the length of the tread surface. The air ports may be concentrated in the center of the tread surface rather than at the outer edges. The central concentration of air ports allows the center of the belt to float and the edges to seal, producing maximum lift on the belt and resulting in the belt riding over a cushion of air. The cushion of air cleans the belt and deck surfaces, which in turn minimizes belt and deck wear. The air may also cool the belt, thus, minimizing belt stretch.
In the space created by the third roller, a plenum may be attached to the bottom of the deck. The plenum may be configured to enclose the area directly below the air ports in the tread surface. A small fan may be installed in the plenum wall to pull air into the enclosed cavity. The resulting pressure forces air through the ports in the tread surface and lifts the belt. To balance the air pressure under the belt, the plenum may be tapered toward the front of the deck.
An upright may be configured to extend upward from the frame under the treadmill and may support a console and stabilizers. The upright and stabilizers may be configured to be adjustable. The upright may be positioned at a variety of angles from substantially upright to substantially down. In the down position, the upright lays flat approximately parallel to the deck. The upright may also be configured to be removable for transport and storage. The adjustability of the upright also makes the treadmill easy to ship, store, move, and hide. The upright may be configured to have a locking system. The locking system typically maintains the upright in a selected position.
A light may be configured to emit a beam onto the surface of the belt. A shutter moving across the beam may be configured to produce on/off fluctuations. The light may be synchronized to the motor speed and may be used as a pacing mechanism by the user.
The treadmill may be further configured to have a small proximity sensor mounted to the upright. The proximity sensor may emit a beam, which, when interrupted, activates the motor. The sensor may be configured such that a user in close proximity to the sensor and between two and four feet above the deck interrupts the beam. Accordingly, when the beam is not interrupted, the drive is deactivated. If a user leaves the tread surface, the sensor will stop the belt, thus providing a safety mechanism.